“I don’t see anyone after Sunil Chhetri in the next 10 years,” remarked Mehtab Hossain, former international and Chhetri’s teammate in the national team, at the ‘Farewell Sunil’ event organised by RevSportz. The event celebrated the legacy of Chhetri ahead of his final game against Kuwait, on June 6th.
Former greats Rahim Nabi, Mehtab, Dipendu Biswas, and Bhaskar Ganguly graced the event, sharing their cherished memories of Chhetri. Nabi, who played alongside Chhetri at both club and international levels, shared a humorous anecdote about his friend.
“Sunil was suffering from a toe injury for months and tried numerous treatments without success. With a crucial tournament approaching, I decided to use a special treatment that I learned from a doctor in my village. I distracted him by turning on the TV and then pulled his toe. Once it was done, Sunil rushed to the physio room and jokingly urged the physio to leave his job, saying they had found a new physio in Rahim.”
Hossain also recalled a memorable moment with Chhetri. “I still remember the winning goal he scored against Cameroon in the Nehru Cup. I gave him a thorough pass, and he didn’t fail to deliver.”
Biswas, former international and team manager of Mohammedan Club, lauded Chhetri for his dedication and determination on and off the field. “Sunil is just reaping the benefits of his hard work,” he said. He also believes that David Lahllansanga, the Mohammedan striker, has the potential to be Chhetri’s successor.
Ganguly, former India international goalkeeper, echoed Dipendu’s sentiments. “Of course, only such determination and dedication can take you to such a big stage, and the same happened with Sunil.”
When asked about who could follow in Chhetri’s footsteps, Ganguly emphasised the importance of proper scouting to find prodigious talent. “There are a lot of quality players; we just need to do proper scouting to find them. Clubs need to be more active in scouting and development.”
Also Read: Anwar and Bheke have to step up in the absence of injured Sandesh Jhingan